Power grab without accountability: Abhishek on Centre’s amendment Bills

Trinamool Congress (TMC) general-secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday sharply criticised the BJP-led Centre for introducing the Constitution Amendment Bill, calling it an attempt to retain power without accountability.

Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata, Banerjee alleged that the government was using the Bill to divert attention from its failure to implement the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which, he noted, has “hit roadblocks in the Supreme Court”.

"The intention behind moving the Bills was to enable the BJP to retain power, money and control over the nation, but without shouldering accountability. It is a deadly combination. That's why they will never include the accountability clause we ask for in the Bills. The people of India have successfully stopped them from going through," he said. 

On Wednesday, Union Home minister Amit Shah introduced three Bills in the Lok Sabha — the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes the removal of any Central or state minister facing corruption or serious offence charges if they have been in detention for at least 30 days, or if the offence carries a minimum jail term of five years, even without a conviction.

"We will be the first to support the Bills. In fact, we urge the government to reduce the jail term of ministers from 30 days to 15 days, as proposed. But the government must add the clause that if the persecuted minister is not proven guilty on the 16th day, then the investigating officers of the investigation agency concerned, and its top bosses will have to go to jail for double the time they hold the leader in jail in the name of conducting a probe. If they add this clause, then Trinamool will be the first party to support this bill," Banerjee said.

The TMC Lok Sabha leader asserted that the bills are unlikely to clear Parliament, noting that they require a two-thirds majority in both Houses to amend the Constitution..

Amid uproar from the Opposition, the draft laws were referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, comprising 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha.

Earlier in the day, Banerjee slammed the Centre for proposing to move forward with the Constitution Amendment bill. He said on X that such a bill is introduced to target opposition leaders by using central investigation agencies.

"We strongly condemn this authoritarian attitude and oppose the introduction of this DRACONIAN CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BILL. The Government of India, instead of providing relief to the people and working for the genuine development of farmers, workers and the poor, has completely failed to uphold its duty of safeguarding the sovereignty of the nation," Banerjee wrote.

Criticising the Centre’s move, the Trinamool Congress leader said, “After failing to misuse the Election Commission to push SIR, the government has turned to another ‘E’ — the ED — to frame laws aimed at targeting opposition leaders, undermining democracy, and manipulating the people’s mandate by toppling state governments.”

With IANS inputs